The Curse of the Thief King
by Wedjat
Summary: 3,000 years ago, the royal palace of Pharaoh Atemu was the scene of tragic murder. Now, in present day, the accursed murderer seeks his revenge on those who took everything from him...
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Okay, okay…so I should probably stop posting new stories and get to work on my other ones, but jeez, I keep getting these ideas. I have even more ideas, but I started writing this one and it just came to me. I want to know what you think, because I'm still unsure of if I want to continue it.

This story is loosely based on _The Mummy_. I absolutely love that movie, and I thought it would be great to adapt it to Yu-Gi-Oh but I had a difficult time thinking of how to start it. But I think I have a good idea now. Remember, loosely is the keyword. This will not be an exact rewrite of _The Mummy _with Yu-Gi-Oh, it's different.

* * *

**The Curse of the Thief King**

Prologue

In the time of the pharaohs, Egypt knew a great wealth…but where there is wealth, there are always thieves.

The infamous Thief King swept across the prosperous nation like a disease. No one knew of his identity or his intentions until it was too late.

No one knew for certain whom the Thief King was, for every description of him that was reported was completely different. Some hypothesize that he had hundreds of followers that did much of the stealing for him in order to protect him from harm.

The Thief King was no coward, however. Protection mattered little to him, but it certainly was an advantage.

Perhaps the exploit that he was most proud of lay in the royal palace, the home of the great Pharaoh Atemu. The widely praised and loved pharaoh of Egypt was oblivious to his weekly visits to the palace. Atemu would have surely choked on his wine if he knew that his private sanctuary had been desecrated by scum such as the Thief King, Akefia Bakura.

The pharaoh was married. His wife was quite a sight to behold. She was a beautiful brunette with eyes the color of the Nile itself. She was also a very free spirit. She had a personality and smile that could brighten up a room. Her name was Mana, and they had been friends ever since they were children.

She loved him deeply, and he loved her. Their love was envied by many. When she came to him with news of her pregnancy, he had been nothing short of ecstatic. He took great care of her while she carried his child, and the nation rejoiced.

But then tragedy struck.

One morning just as Ra was rising in the east, Mana set out to pay her respects to the great god of the sky, Horus. As she was climbing the stairs to the temple, however, a thief raced out of the temple with a golden object in his hand. She immediately recognized the item as the Millennium Ring and attempted to stop him. The young thief knocked her over in his rush, forcing her to fall down the stairs. Mahado, Atemu's trusted priest and also Mana's former magic instructor, found her unconscious at the foot of the temple's stairs and carried her to safety. Unfortunately, she had miscarried.

Atemu was furious. He had heard about similar theft attempts happening to his other Millennium Item carrying priests, but he had refused to act. No thief had succeeded in escaping with one of the precious items until that moment, and he had no reason to believe that they ever would. What a foolish mistake that had been. Not only had he lost a powerful relic, he had lost his child and heir to the throne.

Atemu became withdrawn. He was harder to talk to and became much more ruthless as a ruler. He blamed the infamous Thief King and all of his followers for his child's death and began an elaborate manhunt for the mysterious man. Each thief that was caught was no longer imprisoned, but tortured, until they died. None of them would give up their king.

Mana was kept safely confined in the palace. Atemu forbade her to go anywhere in the city and beyond, for he feared for her safety. His unnecessary paranoia drove the couple apart, and Mana's free spirit slowly died along with their once blinding love.

Though she was devastated by the death of her child, she despised Atemu's policy toward the thieves of Egypt. She knew he was only trying to protect her and his people from them, but she also knew that it was wrong to torture people for selfish reasons. She still cared deeply about her husband, but he had completely changed.

When Akefia met Mana, it wasn't on purpose. He had wanted to be in and out of the palace without any disruptions, but nothing ever went according to plan. In fact, that was what he liked most about stealing.

One of his many contacts inside the palace helped him to sneak into the east wing. He searched every corner for the item he desired, only to burst in on the room that Mana inhabited.

She instantly recognized him as the man that had run her down at the Temple of Horus: white hair, a scar over his right eye, and the Millennium Ring around his neck.

"You!" she shrieked furiously. "You stole the Millennium Ring! You killed my baby!"

Akefia stared at her blankly. He wasn't sure how to react. He remembered the day perfectly, and he would have felt bad for causing the Queen's miscarriage…if it hadn't been for the child's father. Akefia despised Atemu greatly. Under his father's reign, the Millennium Items had been created. Under his father's reign, Akefia's entire village had been murdered.

"Perhaps it was fate's way of telling the _great _Pharaoh Atemu that he isn't fit to be a father. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a gem to steal before your husband gets back," Akefia replied icily.

Mana stared at him defiantly as only a queen could. "One scream out of me and the guards will have your head."

Akefia closed his eyes and sighed. "What can I do to make it up to you then? I would do anything to keep my head on my shoulders."

Mana blinked. She hadn't expected that question. She had expected a savage man thrusting a knife into her stomach in order to get away with some petty jewelry.

She looked down at the bed she was sitting on. Her shoulders slumped, causing her to lose her confident, regal appearance. She looked sad and lonely, nearly earning the pity of Akefia.

"You could stay and talk to me."

Akefia's eyes widened and he laughed in disbelief. "You want me to…stay?"

Mana looked up at him with pain in her eyes. "I'm willing to forget what you did if you'll give me some company. It's the least you can do, since you took everything away from me…my freedom, my child, my husband…"

Akefia stepped further into the room, glaring at Mana. "You don't honestly expect me to accept responsibility for your husband being a negligent bastard, do you?"

The fire returned to Mana's eyes. "Don't you _dare _talk about Atemu that way! He is a far greater man than you will ever be! Not everyone is cut out to be a leader, to be a _king_, but look at my husband! He is fair, and just, and…and he was fine before you killed our child!" She yelled angrily.

Akefia smirked. "I am a far greater man _and _ruler than your husband could even dream of being. Your husband goes around killing my followers, and for what? A cheap thrill? Revenge? What a marvelous king you have married, dear queen. I envy you both, I truly do."

Mana recoiled in surprise. "Your followers?" When Akefia only replied with an even cockier smirk, Mana nodded slowly in acceptance. "You're the Thief King."

"The one and only, my queen," he replied smoothly, with a deep bow.

Mana collapsed onto the bed. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to absorb everything. She didn't notice that Akefia had also lain down on the bed until he spoke.

"It would have happened no matter what," he whispered, his eyes glued to the ceiling. "Even if I hadn't pushed you down those stairs, something else would have happened. That's the kind of man his father was, and you know what they say…like father, like son."

Mana opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Her instincts begged her to jump to Atemu's defense once more, but she had run out of excuses. She had run out of praise. Atemu had changed, and deep down, she knew that it had been inevitable.

Akefia looked up with great unease as the Millennium Ring pointed in the direction of the door. He glanced over at Mana and stood.

"Your husband is coming, my queen. If I don't leave now, you just might be having Thief Cobbler for dinner tomorrow night."

Mana giggled a little at his grotesque joke. He walked to her window, but before he could jump out, he felt a hand on his arm.

"Thief King, I am a very lonely woman. My husband is never around, and he never lets me leave. Please, take this, and come back in a week's time if you want more."

Mana pulled a necklace off of her neck and handed it to Akefia. He dangled it in front of his eyes and instantly recognized it as the item he had been seeking: the Jewel of the Nile. The large, sparkling emerald brought a grateful smile to his face as he looked back at Mana. He placed it around his own neck and pulled himself out of the window. Before he dropped down to the ledge bellow, he gave Mana one last smirk.

"My name is Akefia," he whispered. He then released the windowsill and disappeared into the night.

Mana smiled down into the darkness. She finally didn't feel alone any longer.

Akefia visited Mana once a week. Each time they would talk about random things, the weather, the gods, life in general. At the end of each meeting, Mana would give him some of her jewelry and he would drop out of the window before Atemu arrived.

Mana grew to be very comfortable around the Thief King. She told him everything about her troubled relationship with Atemu and about how much she hated his ruthless torture of thieves. She normally tried to keep herself together when she spoke of Atemu, but at times it was difficult.

At first, Akefia didn't know how to react when she would cry. The woman was merely a means to an end for him. He would visit her and talk for a bit, and leave with gold and gems. That's all she meant to him.

But with each meeting, he learned more about Mana. He grew more fascinated with each word she spoke, and eventually, the jewelry didn't mean anything to him. He didn't visit for the gold and gems, he visited for her, and only her.

His infatuation with her grew, a secret flame in the pit of his heart. He denied her offerings of gold and held her when she needed to cry. He told her jokes just to hear her laugh. He complimented her just to see her smile.

Before he could stop himself, Akefia had fallen in love with the pharaoh's queen.

No. He had fallen in love with _his _queen.

One night, Akefia climbed his way up to Mana's window and peeked inside. Atemu sat on the bed next to Mana, a pained look on his face.

"Mana, the Festival of Anuket is in a month. We need that necklace; I thought I could trust you to keep it safe! The Jewel of the Nile represents Anuket herself, it is vital to the ceremonies. If you cannot find it by that time, Egypt will surely be plagued by famine!" Atemu explained heatedly, but he refrained from yelling.

Mana nodded slowly. "I'm sorry Atemu…I will find it, I swear to you, I have misplaced it that's all…there aren't many places I get to go to, so it has to be around here somewhere."

Atemu sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I keep you here so that you will be safe. Please don't ask me to apologize for that."

Mana swallowed hard and placed a hand on top of his. "I know, trust me, I know."

He brushed a strand of her brunette hair out of her eyes with his thumb and gave her a small smile. "I love you, Mana." He kissed her forehead gently, earning a sneer from Akefia.

Atemu stood and walked to the door. He gave her a longing, regretful backwards glance, and then exited the room.

Mana fell back onto the bed and began to weep. Akefia felt a pang in his heart at the sight, but he waited until his Millennium Ring relaxed from sensing Atemu's Puzzle before climbing into the room.

She didn't realize he was in the room until he was bending over her. She gasped in surprise, allowing a small smile at his unexpected visit.

"Akefia, you're not due for another three days," she choked out as her sobs began to cease.

Akefia shook his head. "Since when do I follow the rules? I can choose when and why I want to see you."

Mana giggled softly. "Then why have you come?"

Akefia smirked again. "I'm a thief, my queen. Eventually, I always get my mark. I have come for what is mine, and I'm not leaving without it."

Mana frowned. "I don't understand-"

Akefia interrupted her by pressing his lips to hers. Out of shock, she didn't respond right away, but his embrace was intoxicating. It had been too long since she had felt the love and warmth of a man. It had been too long since she had felt her heart beat faster by merely looking at a man. She didn't even have time to think. Her hands snaked their way into Akefia's white hair, and he drew him in closer.

They weren't sure how much time had passed before they broke apart. They lay next to each other and stared up at the ceiling contentedly. Mana looked over at him and smiled happily. She hadn't expected him to feel that way about her at all, but she was glad.

She loved Atemu. No, she loved what he used to be. She constantly wished for him to return to his old self, but it had seemed to be a hopeless thing to wish for. She felt a twinge of guilt for betraying him with Akefia, but the Thief King filled the void that Atemu had left behind when he had changed. Akefia made her feel alive again; when she thought she had died along with her baby.

"Never leave me," she whispered.

Akefia turned his head to look at her, a cocky smirk spreading onto his face. "Not even death could keep me from you."

Their love affair continued over the following weeks. Every day, Akefia visited Mana in her bedchambers after Atemu left. Even in the small time that they had spent in an actual relationship, their love for each other grew. It seemingly dwarfed the guilt that Mana felt for betraying Atemu.

The day of the Festival of Anuket arrived, and everyone was rejoicing. The festival marked the beginning of the flooding of the Nile, one of the most important events that occurred in Egypt. Without the floods, the crops wouldn't grow, and famine would fall upon the nation.

Atemu strode into Mana's bedchambers with a surprisingly genuine smile on his face. He was rarely seen smiling anymore. Mana's heart skipped a beat at the sight of his happiness, and the memories of her trysts with Akefia returned. She thought she had grown out of her guilt, but she had been too quick to assume. The emotion hit her like a punch in the stomach when Atemu kissed her full on the lips, something he hadn't done in months.

She returned the kiss intensely, her heart aching with guilt. She loved Atemu…but she had given her heart to Akefia.

Atemu backed away and admired her. He chuckled and spun her around. "I'm trying to decide what you should wear to the festival."

Mana's face lit up. "You're letting me go with you?"

Atemu nodded. "I realized how foolish I have been to keep you cooped up in here. I am so sorry my love; words cannot express how much I hate what I've done to you…and to us. I miss you."

He pulled her into a tight embrace. Mana squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around him. A stray tear trickled down her cheek as she fought to rein her emotions in. She couldn't cry. If she did, Atemu would know, and Akefia would be executed. Her guilt flared once more as she realized that, even then, in the arms of her husband, she was thinking about protecting her Thief King lover.

Atemu released her and stepped back once more. "The royal dresser will be up shortly to outfit you with the finest linen and the best jewels. Not that you need the help, you're beautiful without all of that."

She smiled at him, her cheeks turning a rosy pink color. "You embarrass me, Atemu."

The pharaoh chuckled again. "You shouldn't be embarrassed by truth."

He quickly made himself scarce, and Mana once again sat on the bed. She clenched the blankets in her fist and tried not to cry. Atemu, _her _Atemu, had returned…but it was too late. Over the months that she had met with the Thief King, she had slowly fallen in love with his charm. It had taken a while to get over her anger toward him for her child's death and Atemu's change, but she couldn't resist his handsome smile and his quick wit. He had made her feel alive and complete after Atemu had left her broken, and that was a connection that she couldn't wish away, not even with the man she had loved since childhood back in her life.

The royal dresser clothed her in a long, flowing white dress with a long blue sash tied around her waist. She was given elaborate jewelry, including two golden bracelets on each of her wrists and several gold rings on her fingers. Her eyes were lined in kohl and her hair was threaded with gold, blue and green beads.

When the dresser left, Mana admired herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she had even bothered to look beautiful, so she marveled at the sight of her reflection. She smiled with great satisfaction before reaching up to the vacant area around her neck.

She still didn't have the Jewel of the Nile. She had given it to Akefia, and he hadn't given it back to her.

Mana panicked. She had no way of contacting him in order to get the necklace back. She hurriedly grabbed one of her bags. She slipped out of her room and headed for the throne room. She had one chance to find him, only one.

Mana did her best to hide from all of the guards. She didn't want Atemu to be alerted to her presence. She sneaked into the throne room as silently as she could, and spotted what she had been seeking.

No one was in the throne room yet, so it was one of the safest places to keep things. It was heavily guarded, so those who didn't know secret ways to enter it would surely be caught when trying to sneak in. On the golden throne of the pharaoh, lay Atemu's most prized possession: the Millennium Puzzle.

Atemu had to have been taking a bath to clean up before the festival. No one would have appreciated a dirty, smelly king. Mana knew that she would find the Puzzle on the throne, and she couldn't be more grateful. She quickly snatched it up and fled from the room.

She dropped the Puzzle into her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She navigated the halls with ease and soon found the exit of the palace. She raced toward the gate that would lead into the city, and ordered the gate keepers to open the gate.

"Of course, my queen," one of them replied with a bow.

The gate swung open, and Mana sprinted into the city. She knew that Akefia was looking for the Millennium Items. That was why he had taken the Millennium Ring first. The Ring would indicate to the wearer when a Millennium Item was near, so her only chance was to lure him out by running through the city with the Puzzle and hoping he was nearby.

The citizens of the city whispered as the queen passed. They weren't sure what to make of her strange behavior, but they thought it best not to question her. She was obviously in a hurry, and they didn't want to know what would happen to them if they stopped her.

After what seemed like an hour of running, stopping and running again, Mana stopped for another break. Tears threatened to fall as she nearly fell to her knees. She couldn't ruin the dress, or Atemu would be suspicious, but at the same time she felt horrible for not having the necklace. He hadn't told her of its importance when he had given it to her, but now that she had lost it, she felt like she was the worst queen Egypt had ever had. Without the Jewel of the Nile, the land would be cursed with drought and famine…and it was all her fault.

"It's not my birthday you know."

Mana whirled around at the sound of that familiar voice. She grinned at the sight of his handsome face and nearly tackled him in an embrace. He chuckled and returned the gesture before pushing her back to admire her.

"I don't get it, what does your birthday have to do with anything?" Mana asked curiously.

Akefia smirked. "You look absolutely stunning, my queen, and my Millennium Ring tells me there's something in your bag worth stealing…"

Mana looked down at her bag where the Puzzle was. "No…no I didn't bring it for you to keep, I needed to find you. Today is the Festival of Anuket, and I need the Jewel of the Nile. Do you still have it, or have you sold it?"

Akefia stared at her blankly for a moment before lifting up the Millennium Ring. There, lying beneath it was the Jewel.

Mana smiled. "How long have you been wearing it?"

"Since the day you gave it to me."

Mana sighed happily. "I'm sorry, I'll give it back once the festival is over…please?"

Akefia nodded. "Of course, it's yours."

Mana raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to him. "Since when do thieves give back what they steal?"

Akefia chuckled again. "I didn't steal this, you gave it to me as a gift." He removed the necklace and placed it around Mana's neck. He then wrapped his arm around Mana's waist and pulled her in closer. "You, however, I do not intend to give back."

Before Mana could reply, Akefia kissed her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lost herself in him for a brief moment before breaking off their embrace herself.

"I must be going, Atemu is expecting me _and _the Jewel," she whispered almost mournfully.

Akefia nodded and released her. "I'll see you soon then, my queen."

She smiled in response and ran off toward the palace. He watched her disdainfully and glanced down at his Millennium Ring. She had no idea how soon she was going to see him, because he had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him everything was about to go to hell. Atemu was no fool, no matter how many times Akefia called him one. The pharaoh would notice the missing Puzzle, and no doubt he would prance off to his clairvoyant priest.

Akefia looked up to see Mana's fading figure. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before following his beloved.

When Mana returned to the palace, she quickly sneaked into the dark throne room the same way she had done it before. She calmly walked up to the throne and withdrew the Millennium Puzzle from her bag. She admired it for a moment, and then set it down on the throne.

"Did you enjoy your venture into the city?"

Mana's blood turned to ice at the sound of that voice. A shiver ran up her spine as fear gripped at her heart.

Atemu had been lying in wait.

Pharaoh Atemu stepped out of the darkness and into plain view. His face was unreadable, but Mana knew better. Atemu wasn't one that you could judge just by looking into his eyes. He was a master at keeping his emotions below the surface, and she knew for a fact that he was furious.

"I can explain," Mana squeaked out as she raised her hands up defensively.

"Can you now?" Atemu's voice was eerily calm, causing another shiver to run up Mana's spine. Atemu walked up to the throne and picked up the Puzzle. He slipped it over his head and adjusted it so that it sat comfortably over his chest. He looked back up at her, his anger obviously growing by the second. "An explanation won't be necessary. Isis had a vision, and now I know everything."

Mana dropped to her knees and bowed at Atemu's feet. "I'm so sorry Atemu! I didn't know it would happen! You changed, you changed so much and it killed me! It left a void in my heart and I, I-"

"And you believe that to be a valid excuse for what you've done?" Atemu thundered. He wasn't even attempting to hide his anger anymore.

"You must see it from my point of view! You weren't the man I loved anymore, and you had me locked away in my room all the time! I was lonely! So when I found the opportunity for companionship I took it!" Mana cried out in despair.

Atemu was silent. He said absolutely nothing, and Mana took that as her cue to continue. "He came into my room looking for something. I'm not sure what he was looking for. I asked him to stay and talk with me. I was desperate for someone to spend time with me since you never did! So I bribed him with jewelry to keep visiting me. And he did. At first he didn't seem too eager, but…but over time…over time we…"

Mana couldn't bring herself to finish. Atemu could guess the rest, he was a smart man. She wanted to die, right then and there. She would have given anything to turn back time so that she could stop herself from going to the Temple of Horus that fateful day. She loved Akefia, but wouldn't she have been perfectly happy with just Atemu and her child?

Atemu still said nothing. Mana was beginning to feel worried. She took the risk and looked up into his face and gasped in shock. The pharaoh, the great ruler of Egypt, the morning and evening star, was crying. Obvious tears were running down his cheeks as he stared down at her with pain written all over his face.

"Isis…only told me that you took the Puzzle and ran into town to get back the Jewel…"

Mana's heart plummeted into her stomach.

"You…you've betrayed me…you _cheated on me!_" Atemu screamed in pain.

Mana shook her head in disbelief. "Please...Atemu!" She reached out to him, but he jumped away from her hand.

"Not another word out of you! I loved you! You were my one and only! But apparently I wasn't yours…a _thief _was. Of all the scum on the earth, you chose a _thief!_" He roared furiously.

The doors burst open and two guards fell limp on the floor. Atemu whirled around in surprise to see a man with white hair, a scar over his right eye and the Millennium Ring standing before him.

"Get away from her you worthless pig!" Akefia hissed.

Mana blinked in shock at his sudden appearance. Atemu looked down at her and noticed the surprised expression on her face.

"That's him, isn't it? That's the _thief. _No, not just any thief." Atemu looked back at Akefia. "You're the Thief King."

Akefia raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure?"

"If you weren't the Thief King, the real one wouldn't have let you hold onto something as valuable as the Millennium Ring."

Akefia chuckled darkly. "Well, well, well…perhaps you're not quite as stupid as you look."

"You are garbage! I've been searching for you for quite some time now, and the people of Egypt will rejoice when I have you executed!"

"No!" Mana screamed, jumping to her feet. "Don't you _dare_ lay a hand on him!"

Atemu looked pained after she defended her lover. "Mana, this man is evil. He has stolen from innocent people throughout the country and he should pay for his crimes! Don't let him delude you with romance!"

Mana stepped in front of Atemu. "I'm not deluded! He is a good man, and _you _are deluded by your own selfish hatred! You want revenge for your child, but killing him won't bring it back!"

Atemu's eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth. "_Our child, _or have you already forgotten you traitorous_…_!" He screamed dangerously. He shoved her aside, causing her to fall and hit her head hard on the throne.

Atemu stared down at Mana in horror. He then glanced from her to his hands several times, forgetting about Akefia completely…that is, until the Thief King advanced on him.

Akefia lunged at Atemu with a knife in his hand. Atemu grabbed his arm and twisted it, trying to gain control of the weapon. Atemu was strong, but Akefia's life of living on his own in the harsh desert had made him stronger. After a long struggle, Akefia found a gap in Atemu's defenses and plunged his knife deep into Atemu's stomach.

Atemu cried out in pain and fell. Akefia stared down at him triumphantly, but he was soon pushed aside. For a brief moment he thought that a guard had discovered them, but was soon proved wrong when he saw Mana bending over Atemu.

"Atemu…speak to me…" Mana whispered through tears.

He looked at her with tears in his eyes. "I…I drove you away…"

Mana closed her eyes tight. "I won't let this happen to you."

Atemu chuckled sardonically. "It happened _because _of you."

Mana felt a pang in her chest at his remark, but she didn't respond. Instead, she began to chant. She used what she had learned from Mahado to preserve Atemu's soul in the mortal world. Atemu's eyes slid shut. Just as he breathed his last, however, the Millennium Puzzle began to glow…and then it shattered into many pieces.

Mana jumped back in surprise. She hadn't expected it to shatter. She began to weep, thinking that she had failed. She stumbled backward, her head beginning to swim from the blow to her head. She turned to Akefia and shook her head in wonder.

"Why, why did you do this?"

Akefia stared at her incredulously. "He hurt you! You could see the murder in his eyes! He would've killed me, and then you if I hadn't taken the chance to kill him myself!"

Mana frowned. She didn't believe that Atemu would've killed _her_, but she _did_ know that he would've killed Akefia. She felt lost. She wasn't sure what to do without Atemu, but she knew that she would've felt the same way if Atemu had killed Akefia.

She continued to cry and collapsed in Akefia's arms. He held her tight for the longest time, and soon became worried because she hadn't moved. He propped her up, only to realize that she wasn't conscious. He felt the back of her head where she had fallen onto the throne, and brought his hand back up to eye level. Blood was smeared all over his fingers.

He began to shake with anger. He laid Mana's limp body onto the floor and jumped over to Atemu's. He grabbed the knife that was still protruding from his stomach and pulled it out. He raised it above his head as if he was going to strike again, but two strong hands grasped his arm. He was yanked away from the pharaoh's corpse and forced to the ground. The pharaoh's body guards dragged him from the room as the Council of Priests filed into the throne room. One of them, Mahado, stopped the guards dragging Akefia. He gave him a glare filled with malice and ripped the Millennium Ring from Akefia's neck. He then signaled for the guards to continue.

Akefia was taken deep into the bowels of the palace. The Council of Priests was shocked to discover the bodies of both the pharaoh and queen lying dead in the throne room. None of them were sure how to deal with the murderer…save for one. Seth was determined to make an example of the blasphemer, for to kill the pharaoh was like taking the life of Horus himself. It was condemnable by death.

Akefia constantly spat insults at his captors, and even revealed himself to be the Thief King. He assured them that no matter what they did to him, it wouldn't last. This gave Seth an idea, one that he felt was cruel, fitting…and ironic.

Seth condemned Akefia to be buried alive, sealed in a sarcophagus. But he wouldn't be allowed passage to the Afterlife, no he wouldn't even get to face Ammit, who would've surely eaten his heart in an instant.

Akefia was wrapped in bandages and placed into his sarcophagus, no matter how much he struggled to free himself. They placed the cover over the coffin despite the Thief King's furious screams. The Council of Priests encircled the sealed sarcophagus, and with the power of their Millennium Items, cursed Akefia to remain in his coffin as the undead for all eternity.

All but one of the priests left the chamber. Seth remained, however. He ran a hand over the sarcophagus and smirked as Akefia's screams rang out loud and clear. He chuckled and closed his eyes.

"Teki kahru, teki kehra, teki khari."

Seth opened his eyes and chuckled again. He had just made certain that Akefia would never arise to plague the earth with the power bestowed upon him in his undead state.

"So now your fate lies with the pharaoh, whom you so cruelly murdered…" Seth whispered, tracing the carvings on the sarcophagus. "Only by his command could you possibly be released!" he yelled angrily. "Perhaps you are wondering why I'm telling you this, you pathetic piece of trash. I'll tell you why. I want you to know who it was that condemned you to this fate. I want you to know who made certain that your band of thieves could never resurrect you. I want you to know who holds the key of your release, and that not only would he never dream of releasing such a waste of space, but you know it! Now you know that there is no hope!"

Seth walked away with a triumphant smirk on his face. His smirk only grew as he heard the fists of the Thief King banging on the lid of the sarcophagus.

And for all eternity, he would remain there…or so it seemed.

…And so it began.

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**A/N: **So like I said, this is just kind of an experimental chapter. Do you want me to continue it? I have a lot of other stuff I really need to work on, but I just keep getting writer's block, and I've been extremely busy. So tell me if you want me to continue this one, and I will reaaaally try to update my other ones soon.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Alright, finally updating this story. When I originally wrote this chapter, I didn't think it was quite ready to publish...so today when I reread it, I changed my mind. I like what I had, and then I added the ending. Stay tuned! This might be a long story...I hope you don't mind haha. Reviews would be appreciated!

* * *

Chapter One

"Hmm…well, that is a tiny space, isn't it?"

Sugoroku Mutou pouted as he stared into a long, narrow tunnel. "If only I was younger, I wouldn't be as…_heavy set _as I am now." He glanced over at his grandson. "I guess someone short and thin will have to crawl through…"

Yugi Mutou raised an eyebrow and looked over at his grandfather. "Look, if you want me to go through there, all you have to do is ask."

Sugoroku huffed. "I _want _to go in there myself…but since we don't have another choice, I guess you'll have to do." He tossed a tool belt at Yugi and pointed down the tunnel. "I honestly don't have a clue what is on the other side. Be careful, you know that the ancient Egyptians liked to set traps for intruders."

Yugi rolled his eyes and put the belt around his waist. "Yes, grandpa…you keep telling me that, yet each time we excavate a tomb, we never have stone blocks crushing us to death." Yugi stepped toward the tunnel, but Sugoroku stepped in front of him.

"Don't be foolish! It's because of my keen eyes that we haven't fallen victim to their traps!" Sugoroku yelled warningly.

Yugi laughed. "Grandpa, you can't even find your reading glasses when they're on top of your own head, you don't honestly expect me to believe that you expertly avoided traps do you?"

Sugoroku's shoulders slumped. "It's not my fault that I'm not young anymore…" he walked past Yugi. "Just be careful, my boy."

Yugi nodded. "Will do, go on and check out the rest of the tomb."

As he climbed into the small tunnel, Sugoroku huffed. "I don't need your permission," he muttered, earning a grin from his grandson.

Yugi slowly began crawling through the tunnel. He pulled out the flashlight from his belt and flipped it on so that he could see. The tunnel was unremarkable; it was made up of stone tiles and bricks. Yugi kept his eyes peeled for any kind of trap, but he didn't see any. He shook his head again at his grandfather's paranoia.

Yugi and his grandfather had been exploring Egypt for years. Sugoroku was an Egyptologist that refused to retire, and Yugi had inherited much of his interest in the ancient civilization. Sugoroku often took Yugi along on his conquests across Egypt, exploring many tombs and temples, some that hadn't yet been discovered by archaeologists. Most of the time, everything in the ancient structures had been pilfered by tomb robbers except for the sarcophagi.

Yugi ran his free hand through his unruly multi-colored hair. If his obsession with ancient Egypt wasn't enough to make him a social pariah in school, then his hair and height did the trick. Not many bothered to talk to him back in his hometown of Domino, Japan. He didn't mind much, though he did get lonely at times.

He sighed as he thought about school. Egypt seemed more like a home to him than Domino would ever be. He was in love with the culture and history of Egypt, and he didn't feel like an outcast when he was amongst the sand and temples. He felt at home, as if he belonged there. He smiled at the thought of leaving Domino behind him forever to live in Cairo one day…

Yugi's eyes widened in surprise when the tile his hand landed on pushed down, causing the tunnel to shake. He looked around fearfully, suddenly believing every word his grandfather had said about traps. He saw a slab of stone slam from the ceiling to the floor of the tunnel, and turned to see it happen again on his other side. Stone slabs continue to slam down, closer and closer, trapping Yugi inside.

He panicked, searching for a way out. His eyes flew upward, and he realized that there was a tunnel going up. He shined his flashlight on the tunnel and noticed another stone slab embedded in the wall, and he assumed that it would slide across once the other stone slabs had trapped him in a small box. He would undoubtedly suffocate if he didn't escape.

He watched the stone slabs slam down, and when the two closest to him fell, he surged upward. When he landed, the stone slab had slid across under his feet, and he was safely inside the second part of the tunnel.

Yugi sighed in relief and grinned. He couldn't lie, he was extremely proud of himself. He reached for his flashlight, but he realized he had left it behind. He smacked his forehead with his hand and groaned. His pride was gone as swiftly as it had come.

Yugi shrugged and felt around the walls of the tunnel, but there was nothing. He jumped up with his hands outstretched and felt a ledge. He jumped again and grabbed it, pulling himself up onto it. It was pitch black, but he tried not to panic. He felt around the tunnel as he crawled forward in order to stay alert of his surroundings. Without the flashlight, he would be completely helpless against traps.

As he continued to crawl and feel around, he prayed that he wouldn't end up touching a bug of some sort. He grimaced at the thought, but continued to feel around. He placed his hand out again to touch the ground, but all he felt was empty space. It was too late to pull his hand back, however, because he had already put all of his weight on that hand. He tumbled out of the tunnel and into the darkness.

Yugi cried out in pain and annoyance when he landed on the ground. He was too afraid to continue for a moment, fearing that he would end up hurting or killing himself. When he looked around himself, however, he reconsidered.

A small ray of sunlight was beaming in through a crack in the ceiling; illuminating a symbol Yugi would recognize anywhere: the Eye of Horus.

He winced as he pulled himself off the ground. The rest of the room was pitch black, so Yugi grabbed the lighter from his belt and lit it. It didn't do much, but it helped him to see the ground directly beneath him. He walked up to the eye and realized that an upside down triangle had been drawn around it in gold paint. He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at it, and then proceeded to step into the center of the eye.

Before he could pass the symbol, it began to glow. Yugi's jaw dropped and a shiver ran up his spine as he heard multiple, incoherent whispers throughout the chamber. The Eye of Horus beamed light into him, causing him to cry out in surprise and fear. He didn't feel a thing, but the fact that the Eye was glowing was enough to startle him anyway.

Suddenly, torches all alongside the walls of the chamber became lit with fire. Yugi stared around himself in shock, taking in the splendor of the spectacularly preserved room. He glanced at his measly lighter and closed it, placing it on his belt once more.

The Eye of Horus ceased to glow, and Yugi quickly stepped off before it could do so again. He looked around in amazement, smiling at the many drawings on the walls that were in near perfect condition. As he twirled around in circles, just taking in the sights, his eyes landed on a set of stairs.

Curious, he walked over to them and climbed up. At the top, there was a stone pedestal of sorts…with a golden box lying on the surface.

Yugi blinked at the box in surprise. It was relatively small, with the Eye of Horus in the center and hieroglyphs surrounding it. A grin slowly grew on Yugi's face as he admired it. He had never expected to find something, but he finally made a discovery.

He reached his hands out toward the box, but suddenly he froze. Yugi bit his lower lip. After the nerve-racking experience in the tunnels, he wasn't sure he wanted to touch the only thing worth stealing in the middle of a huge room. Surely the Egyptians would've wanted to protect this of all relics, it was solid gold…and it felt important. It _looked _important.

A chill ran up Yugi's spine and he closed his eyes. The persistent whispers returned, but that time, Yugi could discern a few words:

"_Pari, neswa nefeer…"_

Yugi's eyes shot open and his hands wrapped around the box. Those strange, alien words had calmed him somehow. He didn't fear the possibility of traps anymore. He brought the box up to eye level and examined it. It was warm to the touch, and it felt like it belonged to him. He couldn't explain it, but he knew that he wasn't going to sell it to any museum. He had found it, and he intended to keep it.

He slowly and carefully opened the lid of the box. A gust of air suddenly circulated through the chamber, causing the torches to flicker. Without even glancing at the contents of the box, Yugi let the lid slam shut again and he groaned loudly.

"I'm sick of this! Why did the Egyptians have to make everything so creepy?" He threw his head back and squeezed his eyes shut. "I just want to get out of here!"

A creaking noise came from behind Yugi, causing him to jump back in surprise. He teetered on the edge of the stairs, nearly falling down them. He regained his balance and quickly retreated down the staircase. He scanned the room, searching for the source of the noise. As he looked around, he noticed that his hands were shaking.

His eyes finally landed on a door. It had not been there before. It was as if by his command, a secret passageway had opened simply to grant his request. _But that wasn't what happened… _Yugi thought warily, _right?_

He slowly inched toward the door, his fingers tightening around the box. He wasn't sure what he was expecting as he stepped through the doorway and followed the dark corridor. There were no torches to light the way this time.

Yugi walked for what seemed like an eternity until he tripped over a set of stairs. He protected the golden box at the cost of smacking his head on the corner of one of the stone steps. He cried out in pain and surprise as he reached one of his hands up to his forehead. His fingers were met with a warm liquid, much to Yugi's dismay. He wouldn't hear the end of it from his grandpa.

He stumbled up the stairs, his hand pressed firmly against his forehead. His head was swimming and he knew that he would have to lay down soon or he would faint. Luckily, he could see a light at the top of the stairs.

A door had silently swung open during his fall. Yugi smiled in relief as he finally reached the top. He stepped through the doorway, and his smile grew as he spotted Sugoroku bending over a sarcophagus.

"Gramps! Hey!"

Sugoroku jumped and whipped around in surprise. "Yugi...you nearly gave me a heart attack...what's wrong with your forehead?" His eyes fell to Yugi's other hand, and he nearly jumped up and down with excitement. "And what's that in your hand?"

Yugi glanced down at the golden box and shrugged. "I'm not sure what it is, but it seemed important." He sighed. "As for my forehead..." he allowed his hand to drop to his side, revealing the bloody mess underneath. "I tripped."

Sugoroku gasped. "Yugi! I told you to be careful!"

Yugi glared at him. "Can you save the lectures for later? I found this!" He held up the box proudly. "And besides, I need to lay down..."

Yugi swayed dramatically, nearly falling over. Sugoroku walked briskly over to him in order to support him.

"Come along, then. Let me take a look at that box while you relax."

He helped Yugi over to his backpack and had him lay down. Yugi used the bag as a pillow and handed the box over to his grandfather.

Sugoroku examined it carefully, reading the hieroglyphs on the outside with great interest. "It says hear that 'The one who solves me will receive my dark knowledge and power.'" He frowned. "Hmm...fascinating."

Yugi listened to the translation as he thought of his experience in the strange chamber. "Grandpa...when I was in the room with that box, I heard voices."

Sugoroku glanced over at him. "Voices, dear boy?"

Yugi nodded as his eyelids began to feel heavy. "They said...'Pari, neswa...nefeer.'" Yugi's eyes closed completely and he began to doze off.

Sugoroku stared at him for a long moment before looking back at the box. He looked it over again and then glanced up at the sarcophagus he had discovered.

_This tomb belongs to a once great pharaoh..._Sugoroku thought as he traced the hieroglyphs on the box. _This must've belonged to him...curious, seeing as how the voices Yugi heard told him..._

Sugoroku took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"'Go forth, good king.'"


End file.
